As the panic of a fresh tsunami recedes, it is time to focus on that of December 26 where relief has been held ransom to politics in Sri Lanka.

Prabhakaran would obviously want to finish off Karuna as soon as possible to establish his claim as the 'sole' representative of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The longer Karuna survives, the greater the loss of credibility for Prabhakaran.

Are Karuna's days numbered? Prabhakaran is still the master of terror, though, with his current bid for peace and the enormous international visibility his actions attract, extreme actions against a prominent target have become relatively difficult.